Folia archeologica 22.

Zsuzsa S. Lovag: Byzantine Type Reliquary Pectoral Crosses in the Hungarian National Museum

I 44 ZS. S. LOVAG These data about the pilgrim hostels may be discussed, but the fact of the pilgrimages themselves is corroborated by contemporaneous sources and the pectoral cross reliquaries found in Hungary may be further proofs for this. Pectoral Crosses of Kiev Type The crosses made in Russia are generally dealt together with the Byzantine pectoral crosses. Their inscriptions in Cyrillic letters, sometimes worn, sometimes written backwards, in mirror writing, were considered to be Greek by those not speaking Russian. Though their form differ form the Holy Land type crosses, they reflect undoubtely a strong Byzantine influence. Besides the usual representations of Christ on the Cross and those of the apostles, the favourite saints of the Eastern Church, as George, Cosmas, Damian, Nicholas, Basil, etc. appear there. The central figure of the reverse is usually that of the Virgin, not in orant position as usual in the East, but mainly with the Child on her arm. According to the earlier Russian researchersthese crosses were made by Greek craftsmen of the Chersonnese and exported to Russia, some of them perhaps as semi-finished products, to be finished by Russian craftsmen of Kiev there.

40 In recent times such a great importance is not attributed any more to Chersonnese influences, and this area is not regarded as a cultural centre after the tenth century.

41 As proved by excavations on large scale, Russian lapidaries, builders, miniers as well as gold- and silversmiths trained by Greek masters were working in Kiev from the tenth century on. In the eleventh and twelfth centuries large, heavy pectoral crosses cast in relief and gilt were produced in the Kiev workshops in great quantities. At the end of the twelfth and at the beginning of the thirteenth centuries the clay casting moulds were replaced by stone ones resulting in a rise of productivity, for much more identical specimens could be made so in one mould.

4

2 The crosses are widespread chiefly in the area of Kiev as well as in other Russian cities, but a part of those which are to be found in most European collections was exported from Russia as early as the Middle Ages. In the Hungarian National Museum eight crosses of this Kiev type are preserved. Reliquary cross (Fig. provenance unknown. (Inv. no. 1870. 117; as for the inscription v. Appendix за-b.) Almost equal-armed, the two halves are fastened together by hinges and the large, biconical loop for suspesion, ribbed in the axis and on both sides, is attached by a hinge, too. The arms end in circular medallions flanked by two globules each. There is a beaded edging around the cross and around the medallions. On the obverse is the figure of Christ on the Cross, his head, surrounded by a halo, is slightly bent to one side. His arms are bent at the elbows, his hands as well as his feat standing on the suppedaneum are trans4

0 Tolstoi

, I. I. — Kondakov, N. P., Russkiia drevnosti v pamiatnikah iskusstva. V. (Petrograd 1897) 32.; Kondakov, N. P., Russkie klady. (Petrograd 1896) 46-47. In the earlier literature these types are mentioned also as "Cherson crosses". 4

1 Kor^itkhina, G, Г., op. cit. 134. 4

2 Rybakov, B, A., Remeslo drevnei Rusi. (Moscow 1948) 454. ; Kor%ukhina, G, F., op. cit. Ï33-44-